The Great Unveiling: UAlbany Reveals New Statue and Memorial Bench
By Alejandro Royer | October 6, 2026
The University at Albany welcomed a new landmark that brings together school pride and campus history on Friday, Oct. 2 with a unveiling ceremony. The reveal of the Damien the Great Dane statue and bench has officially brought the university's beloved and infamous mascot to a prominent, central spot on the Podium.
A Vision Created Through Collaboration
The project represents a collaborative effort between the University and the Alumni Association. With a global network of over 200,000 alumni, the Alumni Association continuously seeks new ways to strengthen ties with the school. UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez highlighted the significance of the partnership behind the project:
"The Alumni Association is an integral part of the university at Albany... and so this is a major gift that they provided to the university... to sort of continue to expand, enhance, and strengthen the partnership between the university and the association."
Planning for the project had been underway for over a year before the unveiling, according to Joe Bonilla, President of the UAlbany Alumni Association, who explained the dedication behind bringing the monument to life.
"Today is the culmination of two years of hard work of working with the university, working with partners and our alums, to come to fruition," Bonilla said.
Honoring a Campus Mascot
Damien has served as a community figure and mascot at the university for generations. Bringing the mascot onto the podium in a permanent way memorializes him forever in a new spot on campus.
Gene Fennell, a member of the class of 1981 and a donor, reflected on the inspiration behind the statue.
"For years Damien has been around, and we haven't had him located somewhere on campus and we wanted to put him in a very prominent position... and where else than on the podium," Fennell said.
For Ben Spear, a member of the UAlbany Alumni Association, the bench symbolizes the alumni network supporting current and future students as they navigate their college journey.
"It's meant to say that, look, you're part of a network of more than 200,000 alums all across the globe and every city across the country, that it's a larger community... your foundation is here in terms of your network," Spear said.
Creating Institutional Pride
University leadership believes that the installation will deeply impact school spirit, student connection, and campus culture. Student Kiley Shear described the feeling of the student body as positive following the addition of the new statue.
"It feels like a warm hug to the campus community and really brings a lot of life to the heart of the podium," Shear said.
The installation features a bronze statue of Damien standing over a bench, designed as a welcoming space for students, faculty, and visitors. Bonilla stated that similar landmarks at universities across the country successfully increase recruitment, student retention, and social media engagement:
"Everyone is going to want to take a picture there... and watch when commencement comes around the corner, all those graduates are going to run to the bench to take pictures," Bonilla said.
Ultimately, the monument stands as a bridge across generations, rather than simply a photo spot. Reflecting on the school's roots dating back to its founding, President Rodríguez stated how the new landmark ties the university's rich history directly into the daily lives of current students:
"This goes back to 1844... as you pass this bench, we have the Minerva logo and we have Damien... it shows you the history and that it's a line of alumni and Great Danes," he said.
Comments